How to write a professional apology letter

Abby SlutskyUpdated November 21, 2016

Errors happen in every business. You may need to apologise for poor customer service, a rude employee, a missed meeting or any number of other mistakes than can occur during the course of business. Clients want to feel valued and expect excellent customer service. Acknowledging a mistake can often be the difference between keeping and losing a client. Writing an apology letter lets the customer know his business is important to you and you want to keep him happy. An apology letter can have a personal touch that an e-mail or phone call may not.

Direct the apology letter to the correct person and double-check the address. If you send the letter to the wrong person, you run the risk of your apology never being received.

Write a rough draft of your letter. Acknowledge your error, explain why the mistake occurred and indicate what you are doing to rectify it. Ask for forgiveness from the client and offer to take additional remedial steps if there are any she wants to request.

Give the client an incentive to keep using your product or services. For example, offer an extra discount on his next order or a free product.

Read the apology letter carefully to make sure it sounds sincere. Put yourself in the position of the client and decide whether the letter would compel you to maintain the business relationship.

Correct any errors in the letter, type and refine it. Print the letter on your printer and sign it before sending it to the client.

Tip

If more than one person is a contact involved in the matter, your apology may need to be sent to multiple contacts.

Warning

Avoid blaming the client for the mistake. Even if you believe the error was caused by mutual actions, your goal is to keep your client and acknowledge that you made a mistake.